Posts Tagged ‘The Passenger’

How 15 DC chefs and bartenders battled the bulge and made the world a healthier place
By Francine Cohen

Just as ubiquitous as the seasonal songs you hear in every holiday commercial this time of year is the rush for predictions, charitable donations, and resolutions that will surely make your world, and the world, a better place in the new year. 2014 will be no different.

There will always be plenty of ways that you, as hospitality industry leaders, will be asked to give. And let’s be honest, it gets a bit redundant. But it doesn’t have to be the same old same old. You probably feel like Chef RJ Cooper (www.rogue24.com) does as he remarks, “The dine around pass food over a table formula is tired, old and just cramped. A new concept of making mobile kitchens in venues so chefs can cook for 3 tables of 10 etc. would be much more fun.”

No reason you can’t have fun while doing good. Maybe this is the year it happens and you’ll be inspired to take a page out of the book of some Washington, DC based chefs and bartenders who found fun and healthy living through charity work in 2013. Last year, while supporting the American Cancer Society by co-chairing the Society’s annual signature culinary, wine and spirits event, Taste of Hope (www.tasteofhopedc.org), the Restaurateur/chef Mike Isabella (www.graffiatodc.com) rallied 15 Washington, D.C. chefs and mixologists for the inaugural Fit for Hope weight loss challenge.

The 12-week challenge kicked off on June 24th and culminated on September 24th at Taste of Hope. According to the Society, the latest recommendations for adults call for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity each week, or an equivalent combination, preferably spread throughout the week.

Faced with an invitation to support a new (to DC) charity event they turned what could have been just another “let me show up and park myself behind a white tablecloth draped 6 ft. long table and hand out food and drink while smiling and promoting my restaurant/bar” experience into something much more personally meaningful- for them and the charity they supported. While dropping pounds, each participating chef and mixologist was also charged with raising a minimum $2,500 during the 12 weeks and many turned to

CHERRY LIQUEUR INSPIRED DRINKS ARE FOR FOREVER
By Francine Cohen All Photos Courtesy Of Cherry Heering

As spring quickly melds into summer INSIDE F&B felt the urge to pay one last homage to that beautiful, refreshing and cheery, yet fleeting, season that carries us from the brown, bitter and stirred drinks of deepest, darkest winter to those with hues to match our brighter days and moods.

Particularly embodying the brightness of spring is the annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC (www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org). It’s that time of year when our nation’s stately capital is awash with pink blooms, and food and drink inspiration abounds as the farmers’ market stalls are finally piled with ramps and asparagus.

Who best to explore DC during this season, and help celebrate the festival by introducing bar patrons to the florally inspired liquid joys of the season, than a handful of the nation’s best bartenders toting Heering Cherry Liqueur (www.heering.com) in their bar kits?

Sunday night 3/7 is going to be one of those evenings that, where no matter what city you live in, you might as well stay home and drink wine because your favorite bartender is going to be in NYC, competing at the 42Below Vodka Cocktail World Cup National Finals. www.42below.com

We’re not naming names (okay, we will eventually), but we are willing to say that if you’re invited to the Ace Hotel (www.acehotel.com) on Sunday night you might have a Lynn House, Thomas Waugh, Todd Thrasher, Philip Green, Paul Sevigny, Jason Brown, Matthew Coughlin, Sean Hoard (and more) sighting.